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Time slots are available to be rented on a first come-first served basis with priority going to CMBA teams/players.

The training space can be divided into 4 separate 80 foot by 15 foot fully turfed, fully netted hitting tunnels or as a wide open 64 foot by 80 foot space for fielding, batting, pitching and base running practice.

In addition to facility rentals, memberships are available. Membership hours are currently 3pm to 6pm Monday thru Friday, 8am to 11am Saturday and Sunday and space is to be used on a first come-first served basis. The costs for registered CMBA players if $100 per year, for non-CMBA registered players $150 for under 18 years of age and $200 over 18 years of age. Members under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

To find a slot that works for you or to register as a member, contact CMBA President Jason Chickowski at jchickowski@cogeco.ca or 519-355-0458.

As of January 2014, various travel teams, users from Girls Minor Softball and registered members have already used the facility for winter workouts.

There are two options available for local businesses to advertise on the interior of the building. There are limited spots available.

Option #1

$5,000 gets your business a 4 foot by 8 foot coloured sign for a guaranteed 10 years. (works out to $500 per year with first right to re-sign after term of agreement is over)

Option #2

$1,000 gets your business a 4 foot by 4 foot coloured sign for a guaranteed 5 years. (works out to $200 per year with first right to re-sign after term of agreement is over)
News

HOW THE EWALD HOMES FIELD HOUSE CAME TO BE

The Ewald Homes Field House, located at beautiful Rotary Park was constructed between February and December 2013 under the watchful eye of CMBA President/Project Co-Ordinator Jason Chickowski.

The building was built due in large part to the donation of labour for the project from Dave Ewald and his staff at Ewald Homes Limited, a local successful home construction business. In July of 2012, Dave Ewald agreed to donate the labour required to erect this state of the art facility to help enhance the overall baseball experience of the close to 550 kids involved in Chatham Minor Baseball. Dave himself a volunteer coach in the Association understood that the community and the Association was in need of a facility where the kids and coaches could develop their skills twelve months of the year, free of the in climate Southwestern Ontario weather.

Amidst an already hectic schedule building quality homes for the the citizens of Chatham-Kent, Dave and his crew broke ground the first week of February 2013 and worked over the next 11 months to finish the project in mid-December. Many hours were spent in the bone chilling cold of the winter and the sweltering heat of a Chatham-Kent summer to ensure that no detail was left undone, no aspect of the building completed without the impact it would have on the users.

In the end, the facility was finished and now includes the following amenities:

Over 5,000 square feet of training space outfitted with professional grade “Astro-Turf” flooring and netting

Fully insulated interior/exterior and a radiant heat floor system to ensure year round use

A 20 foot by 24 foot waiting room/team room/lounge with big screen television, kitchenette and leather furniture that affords visitors and family members the opportune space to view the proceedings through two large plexi-glass windows in a safe and relaxing environment

Office space to be shared with other not-for-profit groups in the community

Storage space for equipment

Benches and change space available for players to change before and after workouts

In continuing to build upon the uniqueness of Fergie Jenkins Field at Rotary Park, the eastern most exterior wall of the Ewald Homes Field House is now the right field home run barrier recreating Chatham-Kent’s very own “Green Monster” as seen at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Lefties hoping to take advantage of the short porch in right field (approx. 260 feet) now have to contend with a wall over 15 feet in height.

Along the way, Dave was able to bring along various local contractors who agreed to greatly reduce their labour costs and many even donated their time to ensure the work was done in a timely fashion and up to the standards other projects at Rotary Park had previously been built.

Donours of Labour and Materials

In addition to the donations of labour and materials, various local businesses, citizens, families and service groups were able to provide valuable funds to purchase materials required to finish the project.